Gates of Fire
By Steven Pressfield
- Release Date: 1998-10-20
- Genre: Historical Fiction
Description
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • In this “powerful, historically accurate novel” (The New Yorker), the sole Spartan survivor recounts the bloody and epic battle of Thermopylae that decimated his fearsome society.
“Vivid and exciting . . . Pressfield gives the reader a perspective no ancient historian offers: a soldier’s-eye view.”—The New York Times Book Review
At Thermopylae, a rocky mountain pass in northern Greece, the feared and admired Spartan soldiers stood three hundred strong. Theirs was a suicide mission, to hold the pass against the invading millions of the mighty Persian army.
Day after bloody day they withstood the terrible onslaught, buying time for the Greeks to rally their forces. Born into a cult of spiritual courage, physical endurance, and unmatched battle skill, the Spartans would be remembered for the greatest military stand in history—one that would not end until the rocks were awash with blood, leaving only one gravely injured Spartan squire to tell the tale. . . .
Reviews
Epic
5By hiphopheadsJust read itBrotherhood of arms defined
5By CamahanA must read for any man that serves or has served. The best surmise of that portion of history I have ever readHighly Recommend
5By pbGuyWritten as a narrative story form that personalizes the main, Greek characters as well as principal Persians. Battles are described with bloody details one would expect from this ancient period; but care is taken to overlay with descriptions of battle formations & tactics that enliven these scenes in one’s mind. Combined, the story is a compelling read with great poignancy & an ending that elicits emotions one wouldn’t expect from such a story.Great read
5By 12trbldgGreat read! The nature of war is explored in great detail.Mhmm
5By DadwigIt’s on the Commandants reading list for a reason. It’s a good read.Boring
2By Longhorn5555Plodding. Filled with irrelevance.Awesome read
5By BdhdjxhsxnRead this book 3+ times over.One of my favorite books
5By Mac656Pressfield never misses! Awesome book!Amazing
5By kunal00Amazing level of detailGreat
5By Steve King (not the author)Great story. Great for any soldier or cop.Brillant
5By DZPykeI love historic fiction and have read probably hundreds of such novels. This is best historic fiction I have ever read.Excellent Read
5By Band4musicA great read into the minds of the Spartan warriors and Ancient Greek culture. 😊Amazing!
5By Matthew stevens is awaomeDo recommend reading. Although fictional, the author did put a lot of factual things about the Spartans. Great book. I enjoyed reading the tale of the battle at Thermopylae.A must for any aspiring warrior
5By dobrodudeWhile reading stories of MOH recipient Navy SEAL LT Michael P. Murphy, I was frequently directed to Gates Of Fire as both Murphy's favorite book and an analogy of Operation Redwings. This is the best book I have ever read on anything relating to war, but especially the warrior soul.Everything you could ask for
5By UsmcpeteyStevan Pressfield has a way of bringing his stories to life in a way most authors can not. This book much like the afghan campaign brings you in to a character you can relate to and feel for. You just can't set the book down!Stunning!!!
5By ElDiabloDeLosAvesDo not miss this book. An avid reader, I've read thousands of books. This one stands head and shoulders above most, on a par with the very best. Were the Spartans still around, they'd erect a statue to the author!
